Optical fibre splice protector

Abstract

An optical fiber splice protector is provided which includes a first tube being substantially hollow and being locatable along a portion of the length of at least one optical fiber, the portion including a bare optical fiber section of the optical fiber. A longitudinal support is also locatable along the portion of the length of the optical fiber that includes the bare optical fiber splice section of the optical fiber, the longitudinal support being enclosable by the first tube along the length of the optical fiber. The first tube is of high temperature resistant material that is resistant to temperatures above 125 degrees Celsius.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical fibre splice protector, the splice protector including,
 a first tube being substantially hollow and being locatable along a portion of the length of at least one optical fibre, the portion including a bare optical fibre section of the optical fibre; 
 a longitudinal support also being locatable along the portion of the length of the optical fibre that includes the bare optical fibre splice section of the optical fibre; 
 the longitudinal support being enclosable by the first tube along the length of the optical fibre; 
 the first tube being of high temperature resistant material that is resistant to temperatures above 125 degrees Celsius; 
 a second tube being substantially hollow, and being locatable around the optical fibre, between the first tube and the optical fibre, the second tube enclosing the longitudinal support, and being enclosed by the first tube; 
 wherein the first tube of high temperature resistant material is heat shrinkable onto the second tube and the second tube is heat shrinkable onto the longitudinal support and the optical fibre when heat is applied. 
 
     
     
       2. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first tube of high temperature resistant material is resistant to temperatures above 125 degrees Celsius and up to 500 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
       3. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the high temperature resistant material of the first tube is a fluoropolymer material. 
     
     
       4. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 1 , which further includes a portion of glue material being enclosed by the first tube. 
     
     
       5. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the portion of glue material is in the form of a third tube of glue material being substantially hollow and which is locatable around a portion of the optical fibre, the portion including at least the bare optical fibre splice section of the optical fibre. 
     
     
       6. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the portion of glue material is melted onto the optical fibre when heat is applied. 
     
     
       7. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the second tube is bonded to the optical fibre by the melted glue material after heat has been applied. 
     
     
       8. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal support is substantially solid. 
     
     
       9. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the longitudinal support is locatable adjacent to the optical fibre along a portion of its length, the portion including at least the bare optical fibre splice section of the optical fibre. 
     
     
       10. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal support is substantially hollow. 
     
     
       11. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the longitudinal support is locatable around a part of the optical fibre along its length, the part including at least the bare optical fibre splice section of the optical fibre. 
     
     
       12. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 1 , which is of a size to enclose a bare optical fibre splice section of an optical fibre, the bare optical fibre splice section being less than 2.5 millimeters in length. 
     
     
       13. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 1 , which has an overall length of less than 10 millimeters and a diameter of less than 2 millimeters. 
     
     
       14. An optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 1 , which is used down-hole in a well. 
     
     
       15. A method of forming an optical fibre splice protector, the method including,
 placing a longitudinal support adjacent a bare optical fibre splice section of an optical fibre; and 
 enclosing the bare fibre splice section on the optical fibre with a first tube of high temperature resistant material that is resistant to temperatures above 125 degrees Celsius, such that the longitudinal support is enclosed by the first tube; 
 enclosing the bare optical fibre splice section on the optical fibre and the longitudinal support with a second tube, the second tube being substantially hollow, and being located between the first tube and the optical fibre; and 
 heat shrinking the second tube around a part of the optical fibre, the part including the bare optical fibre splice section; and 
 heat shrinking the first tube onto the second tube around the optical fibre. 
 
     
     
       16. A method of forming an optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the first tube of high temperature resistant material is resistant to temperatures above 125 degrees Celsius and up to 500 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
       17. A method of forming an optical fibre splice protector as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the first tube encloses both the second tube and the longitudinal support.